I Gotta Find Peace Of Mind

I think this song was directed toward God. The enemy (acting through someone she was in a bad relationship with) seems to have been verbally/emotionally abusive to her, making her think she was nothing without him, making her think there was alot she 'couldn't do'. He clearly caused her much pain, and she admits to being insecure, however God loves her in spite of her insecurities, and she knows all things are possible with God, who doesn't degrade her and make her feel "less than", but inspires her to do/be better than she is. She's transitioning to a closer relationship with God and enjoying it, wondering what took her so long to do it ('keeping me from your love - what was I thinking of?'). She's asking God to free her mind, as He is her "Peace of mind".

Holy shit. I haven't ever felt this way just from a song. Maybe because it's parrelling my life so much, but I've never cried so hard in my life.

"I have no identity" fall of the ego. what I need to experience in my life to reach this place. this piece of mind. simply beautiful.

this song is so amazing and means so much to me it amazing, i can even feel it in her voice

As I grow the layers of this song grow. This song has been a huge blessing to me in my life.

When I first listened to this song I thought Lauryn Hill was singing about a new love interest. But then, I have studied the work of Eckhart Tolle, which led me to agree with Kweenelle's interpretation of the "I have no identity" line to mean fall of the ego. I think this song is Lauryn Hill’s story about how she finally was able to let go of the ego and find her “peace of mind”.

According to Tolle, the ego is identification with the false, mental image of who you are, based on your personal and cultural conditioning. It consists of mind activity and can only be kept going through continuous thinking.

He says there's no me without him, She’s referring to the fact that the ego tries to trick her into identifying with it

He takes all my energy Trapped in my memory Constantly holding me Constantly holding me

One way the ego strengthens itself is by tricking the mind to replay situations that have happened in the past, over and over again. It usually replays painful past situations because these memories are coupled with strong emotions, and it is easy to lose yourself in these emotions, which ensures the ego’s existence.This is what I think Lauryn means when she says “Trapped in my memory Constantly holding me, Constantly holding me. The ego “constantly holds” her in the past because without doing it, the ego dies, and the ego, much like every living thing, badly wants to keep living.

To finally be in love, and know the real meaning of A lasting relationship, not based on ownership

When your life is run by the ego, you may find yourself in a relationship with someone in order to enhance your sense of self through them. Finding your sense of self through something is in a way identifying with it as part of you. You then fear the prospect of them leaving you because if that happens your sense of self will be diminished. This is not true love. Now that Lauryn Hill’s life is no longer run by the ego, she knows what true love is.

All that I've known is gone, all I was building on

The ego is something that you build on all of your life. All of your achievements, mistakes, material possessions, past situations, even your personality are all things you identify with yourself to give you a sense of self. Since Lauryn has learned not to identify herself with these things, all that she’s ever known is now gone.

I know now I have to face, the temptations of my past Please don't let me disgrace, where my devotion lays Now that I know the truth, now that it's no excuse

Letting go of the ego is no easy task, especially if it’s been running your life for most of her life. Her mind will attempt to go back to the same patterns of reliving the past and identifying with form. These are the “temptations of my past”. Now she has to be vigilant so she can ensure that doesn’t lose herself in her ego, especially now since she “knows the truth” and has “no excuse”

Keeping me from your love, what was I thinking of? Holding me from your love, what was I thinking of?

We all find God’s love by being in the moment and feeling the peace inside of us which dwells behind the compulsive activity of the mind. Being caught up in the ego keeps us from the feeling of stillness and Lauryn realizes this.

You are my peace of mind, that old me is left behind

Lauryn Hill is declaring here that her peace of mind is God-the peace, the stillness that dwells behind and in between the gaps of compulsive thoughts. She goes on to say that she has left the old her, the one which identified with form and her mind, behind.

“When these gaps occur, you feel a certain stillness and peace inside you. This is the beginning of your natural state of felt oneness with Being, ( God), which is usually obscured by the mind.” -Tolle

Lauryn Hill implores the listener to explore dis-identifying themselves with their ego toward the end of the song when she repeats the words “free your mind” over and over again. When she say’s “He” and “You’re my peace of mind” she is referring to God. This is supported towards the end when she repeats “”what a merciful, merciful God..what a wonderful, wonderful God”

And that’s my interpretation.

Pure and simple, she is totally singing about the Illuminati as I believe a few of her songs do and I know for a fact that one for certain is completely about the Illuminati. I pray she saves her soul from the Devil. God Bless Lauryn Hill. <3

When I first heard this song the guitar and the passion in Lauryn's voice captivated me. As I continued to hear I couldn't help but to realize she was talking about someone, my first thought was a man, but as I continued to hear, God is who came to my mind. As I took my time to listen to the listen to the lyrics I partly thought she was talking about a man, because she says," touch my mouth with your hands" once again thinking it's about a man, but then I got the true interpretation of that part and song. In the song she's talking about to three identities; a bad one, good one, and herself. If you have listened to the live version she begins with saying," this is what the voice in your head says when you try to get peace of mind, He (devil) says its impossible, I say its possible. Then she begins to ask one of the identity(GOD) to help her forget him(a man). "Trapped in my memory, constantly holding me" "To finally be in love and the real meaning of love"

"I trust every part of you" (GOD) "You love me despite myself" "Oh, you inspire me, to be the higher me" "You make my desire pure" "I wanna walk with you" "How do I talk to you" "Touch my mouth with your hands" (in a non romantic manner she wants God to speak through her) "I know now I have to face my past, the temptations of my past"

"Now that I know the truth, now that it's no excuse Keeping me from your love, what was I thinking of?" You are my peace of mind That old me is left behind "What a joy it is to be alive To get another chance, yeah Everyday's another chance To get it right this time Everyday's another chance Oh what a merciful, merciful, merciful God Oh what a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful God"

She identifies who she's talking about, God! And her voice starts to break and she starts to cry when she says these verses.

Anyone who knows Lauryn based off some of her older songs Lauryn quotes the bible and speaks about God very much.

This is how I translated this song, maybe because a part of my can relate to it so much!